Inspirations

Modernist Lookbook/Publication Examples

I started off by looking at publication examples I have come across online and through my various methods of research. Firstly, I tried to look into ways in which I may be able to incorporate an obvious visual response to the various sub-movements within modernism such as De Stijl or Dada...

I came across some dada inspired examples which make use of text aligned/shaped into a certain form that communicated part of the imagery behind or even just makes use of margins which may be diagonally rotated, etc. This is still considered to be modernism however in my opinion starts to encourage various post-modern characteristics with its experimental nature...

I decided to sway away from this and look how I can keep the type alignment more strict but experiment in different ways..

The above example still gives off too much of a post-modern impression for me and what I am trying to achieve with depicting a strict and clean lookbook style.

Lastly I found a series of De Stijl inspired grids which I could make use of within an editorial style. It would definitely reflect the sub-movement but again I feel it sways too far away from the clean modernist style I am going for. I need to refine my research into the principles of modernism and find more appropriate examples.

I narrowed the search down to more simplistic layout styles which enhanced negative space and communicated content in a much more structured manor..

The above examples communicate the style I am aiming for with this project, with evidence of a more consistent, structured layout on each page communicating the context in the most appropriate and navigable way for the human eye. This simplistic nature appears most considered for a modern inspired lookbook, evidencing form following function and this internationally united style for all to interpret.

To take my research further I looked at a more current example of a lookbook by the streetwear store 'Size?'. I was trying to be inspired by the simplistic nature and how their layout stays consistent and makes use of the negative space around the page to better draw attention to the main image.                           Most pages make use of a larger image opposite a more refined, aligned image. The lookbook makes use of footers to include various information on the products in the images. Headers and footers are definetely something I will experiment with to communicate page numbers and other consistent info about the lookbook. This provides a perfect example of how lookbook design can reflect such simplicity whilst still considering modern principles through design.

Another publication I had quick access to was actually the latest issue of the college mag, which does have pages featuring articles of text (which I will not have masses of within my lookbook as I aiming for it to be very visual), but it does also features more lookbook styled pages to display images from the exhibition, etc. This publication also evidences modernist principles within the design page to page, but does it in a more experimental way with headers/footers info being rotated on the sides of pages rather than the top. It also features more varied layouts within the grid to enhance negative space around the main image but in a more considered manor (rather than being aligned straight-centre), not to mention the fade effect coming out from the spine of each page spread reflecting the main focus of 'Light'...

I now aim to refine my aims for this project a lot more specifically through displaying the certain principles of modernism discussed in my essay, but also including further research into Vignelli's Canon and his editorial principles I need to consider..